Haven't We Had Enough of Marlon Anderson?

So I'm taking a look at the roster spots this morning and it just troubles me that Marlon Anderson's name is on the roster. Aren't we done with this guy?

Marlon Anderson was a great bench player at one time. In fact, two years ago he was money in clutch pinch hit situations that made him one of the smart mid-season pickups of 2007.

However, last year he bombed. He didn't just bomb, he did something worse than bomb but I can't think of that term should be. That's how bad he was.

Anderson batted .210 for the season and was used sparingly. He's another left handed bat, which is the last thing the Mets need coming off the bench with their starting lineup being full of lefties.

Alex Cora, who we might be talking about next season like we're talking about Anderson this season, is the backup for Castillo if & when Castillo falls apart.

I just don't see why Anderson is needed. I'd much rather let Nick Evans try and succeed at the big league level or give another young kid a shot than keep Marlon around for his shotty fielding in the outfield.

Prove me wrong Marlon Anderson. I'm begging you.

Dan Murphy, Welcome to the Big Leagues

Adam Rubin of the Daily News is reporting that minor league phenom, Dan Murphy, has been called up to the majors to replace Marlon Anderson who was put on the 15-day DL. Marlon Anderson apparently has a"hamstring injury." If this is the only way to get Marlon Anderson off the Mets, I'll take it.

Some are calling Dan Murphy the Mets best hitting prospect, even better than Fernando Martinez. Apparently Murphy has played a little bit of everywhere in the minors this year including 3B, 2B, 1B and left field.

I love watching the young guys get playing time, but not as much when we're in a losing streak and slowly slipping away. However, I've heard a lot about Dan Murphy that makes me curious to see what this kid has got.

Is he being called up as trade bait? Possibly, but I think it's a little late for that kind of maneuver. If the kid can truly hit he might be that little spark that gets a club going.

Too bad he can't pitch out of the bullpen. Anyone have Eddie Kunz's number?

Bring Me Kenny Lofton

The corner outfielder discussion is heating up and now it appears that the Mets are focused on a "significant" corner outfielder like Matt Holliday or Jason Bay. Well, I guess it's good news that they're not focused on insignificant outfielders.

The problem is the Mets aren't going to give up Fernando Martinez or Jon Niese which is what will be required for either of the outfielders mentioned above. As I mentioned in a previous post the Mets should focus on pitching and not worry about a big name bat.

Instead, I say bring me Kenny Lofton. As long as the guy is in decent shape, he's a great asset to have on the team. I was shocked my Matt Cerrone's comments on Metsblog.com this morning when he said this about the Mets bench, "Right now, Marlon Anderson, Nick Evans and Robinson Cancel are acceptable."

No Matt. They're not.

Anderson is pitiful. Evans is in over his head. And Cancel is a refrigerator. The Mets need some bench help, but if you think sticking Fernando Tatis on the bench will help, I think you're mistaken. Tatis is on a role and as soon as you sit him down he's going to start to lose the rythmn he has going. As long as he's performing you keep him in the lineup.

Now if you bring in Kenny Lofton you have a better hitting outfield option than you currently have with Endy Chavez. You get a guy who can give you spot starts or play on a regular basis if Ryan Church remains injured. On top of that Lofton is an experience playoff contender. He's not afraid of the spotlight and is possibly one of the best defensive replacements for the outfield that you can have late in a game.

Let's save our money and prospects to get a big time player in the offseason or use them to enhance our pitching because if you think Pedro Martinez/Scott Schoenweiss/Carlos Muniz/Duaner Sanchez are going to be key assets to this team down the stretch, you need to get your head examined.

A Must Win Was Won

Hey, all's forgiven. At least for 12 more hours.

The Mets impressed me tonight. Their performance wasn't so exceptional, but it was the fact that they overcame the collapse last night and all the media hype that surrounded it to get a big win against their NL East nemesis.Yes, in my mind, the Phillies have surpassed the Braves as our division nemesis.

The Mets scored enough runs to put themselves in a position to win. Jose Reyes continues to impress. Big time home run on a pitch up in the zone. The amazing thing was his swing was totally level. Usually Reyes likes to throw an uppercut swing at you, but he kept his bat level and crushed it.

Who knew the bullpen could hold a three run lead like it was a walk in the park? Schoenweiss, Smith, and our much beloved prodigal son, Billy Wagner, all pitched without any drama or troubles.

And wasn't it great to see Marlon Anderson in left field again? Who wouldn't want a left fielder batting .203?

The play of the night may have been Billy Wagner beating Shane "I'm Really Annyoing" Victorino to the first base bag. I honestly thought Wagner would have given him an elbow to the face if necessary to get that out. I wouldn't have blamed him if he did.

Rubber game tomorrow. A series win would be big for the Mets psyche, especially after Tuesday's debacle.

You Knew This Was Coming

As a Mets Lifer you had to see this series with the Reds coming. You knew the 10 game win streak was too good to be true and this team would come back to earth in blazing fashion.

Sure the Mets won the first game extending their winning streak to ten games. And sure the Mets won the last game in extra innings to split the series.

But the key here is the overall product the Mets put out on the field, and it was far from the quality we saw during the first 9 games of this streak.

In the series with the Reds, the Mets did the exact opposite of everything they did in that stretch leading to the All Star break. This weekend we saw poor starting pitching, bad bullpen support, absolutely no timely hitting with runners in scoring position, and bad play in the field.

In my opinion, we were lucky to escape Cincinnati with a series split, and by some strange sort of luck we're also tied for first place.

And so we the Phillies come to town on Tuesday in the biggest series of the year. I hope the Mets put out a different product on the field against the Phils than they did against the Reds. Otherwise we may find ourselves 3 games back comes Thursday night.

And please do not play Marlon Anderson in left field ever again.

Mets Get Beat By Man With Girl's Name

Kelly. Are you kidding me? Kelly Johnson? How many home runs can one Mets team give up to guys who've never hit double digit homers in their career? This is like the 4th guy this week that's gotten a game winning home run and struggles to get the ball out of the infield on a regular basis. This isn't Pujols or Ortiz or Howard. It's Kelly Johnson. He's like an overgrown leprechaun.

I wouldn't mind as much if it was Pat Burrell or Chipper Jones or even Frenchie Franceour. At least those guys can swing the bat and if they beat you, hey it happens.

But Kelly Johnson?

Even so, the Mets did themselves in when they couldn't crack this game open in the 3rd inning with the bases loaded. Sure they got in the pitcher's head (I'd name the pitcher but there's no way I'm spelling his name right) and he ended up walking 4 in a row because the Mets were a bunch of statues up there. I really thought Pagan was going to come through but no.

I guess the Marlon Anderson experiment at 1st has started and will get people talking.

Wright & Reyes need to wake up and get out of this funk. I hate to throw the entire ballclub on two guys shoulders but if they're not producing we're not winning.

Kelly Johnson!?!?! Are you kidding me? Where are my pills?

The Agony and the Ecstasy

Last night’s game what the epitome of a heartbreaker. It was the perfect example of why I live for this game (Marlon Anderson) and why I die hard with this game (the Blow pen & Wright’s error). It was the agony and the ecstasy all rolled into one heart-pounding inning. The result has numbed me into submission. The emotional post I wrote last night immediately after that embarrassing defeat is a reflection of a beaten down, life long Mets addict who witnessed another monumental meltdown in this team’s history. And it hurts to the very core. I can only hope and pray they will recover.

I Was Dead Wrong About Marlon Anderson

In July when the Mets picked up Marlon Anderson, I didn't understand the move. In fact I thoroughly trashed the guy, basically questioning his manhood and reason for living, in a post in mid-July.

I'm here to tell you I was dead wrong about Marlon Anderson. Dead wrong.

As Ron Darling put it last night, Marlon Anderson may very well be the best bat off the bench in the National League. Now he doesn't have the best average, or the best power, or the best all-round player, but Anderson knows how to hit in spots. On Tuesday night, he came through in the 9th with a huge hit. Last night he absolutely crushed a 3-run homer into the right field seats. I don't think Delgado has hit a ball as hard and far as Anderson did last night.

The guy knows his role, which you have to appreciate. I do like the fact that he's got some speed in him too. I originally thought Willie Randolph was going to play him every day in left until Alou came back, and that's what mostly made me question his being on the team. But as THE man off the bench, I have come to really love what Marlon Anderson can do for this team.

Move over Lenny Harris, Marlon Anderson is my top pinch hitter.

Bats Wake Up

The Mets hit 3 home runs tonight and went on to defeat the Brewers 8-5. Oliver Perez survived a rough couple of innings to win his 10th game of the year.

Earlier in the night, this post was going to start by ripping Randolph for sitting Milledge in place of Marlon Anderson, but since Marlon hit a 3 run jack and drove in another with an RBI single, I really can't say anything. But then I figured I could get on Randolph for not sitting Green instead of Milledge. So what does Green do? He hits his first home run in 114 ABs. Don't be fooled however, he's been horrible, and his play in right field tonight was hardly gold glove material. My wife actually laughed when she saw him flop forward while the ball blew past him to allow a run in the second. He actually did look like Gumby out there.

What I will say though is that I want to see Milledge play every day. Just let the kid play a consistent stretch of games, see how he bounces back after an o-for last night. Show some confidence in him.

El Capitan, Ramon Castro did it again, as he hit a 3 run bomb in the second and got us back in the game after an early 3-0 deficit. With the offense struggling like it is, I thought for sure we were going to lose this one. But Ramon gave us a jolt of confidence at the right time. Thankfully, I can sleep well tonight.

Terrible Decision by Randolph

What was Willie Randolph thinking last night? He made one of the worst decisions in managerial history (the worst I’ve ever seen) when he decided to use two players in one at bat. Yes, you read that correctly. He literally used up two guys on one play.

In the 7^th inning, when Lo Duca pulled up lame at second base, Randolph put El Duque in to pinch run for him, and with the pitcher due up, he inexplicably chose to bat Marlon Anderson - against a lefty no less – rather than put Ramon Castro up and save Anderson for later in the game. Instead, Anderson hits, and Castro replaced Lo Duca in the top half of the inning. I could not believe what I was watching. A major league manager is making this mistake? The blunder is even worse when you consider that Anderson was the last player available – and they were only in the 7^th inning! Everyone in the building, watching from home, or listening on their radio assumed Castro was coming in. Even Ramon figured as much since he had his helmet on, bat in hand. It was shocking.

"Anderson is a professional pinch-hitter. I'd rather have him in that situation," Randolph said. "If I'd had Castro pinch-hit there, they'd have brought in setup man Jon Rauch." Uh…really?

So what? I’d rather have a scorching hot Castro face Rauch than Anderson facing a lefty. And guess what? I’d still have Anderson to pinch hit later in the game, rather than ending up with Tom Glavine in that spot. In fact, I don’t care if there were two or three guys remaining on the bench, why use two for one? As fas as I am concerned, Castro was the only choice. And after all, the Mets were carrying three catchers for a few weeks specifically to allow Castro to get pinch hit ABs. If this wasn’t one of those opportunities, then I don’t know what was.

It was simply an awful decision in what has become a very questionable season for Randolph, who was runner up for manager of the year last year. I’ve been a big supporter of Randolph's, but even I am starting to see the flaws.

Moises Alou Come Play Left Field

Note: The meter of this little diddy is based on the nursery rhyme, "Little Boy Blue"

Moises Alou come play left field.
We trust you are better
And still have a bat you can wield.

We've missed your presence
In the middle of the order.
But we know arthritis can be tough,
And memory is lost as you get older.

We'll see you at Shea
In just another few days
And we hope you remember
That's it left field you play.

So welcome back, OLD friend Alou
Now Milledge & Marlon will have nothing to do.
But it's okay, for RBIs are what we want,
And you're right hand bat will help us win a few.

This Mets Lifer is Bleary-Eyed, But Happy

It was 1 a.m. on the East coast, but Beltran woke me up with a jolt. I was somewhere inbetween sleep and reality when I saw Carlos Beltran swing at a fastball down the middle of the plate.

Immediately, I jumped up. Gone. You knew it right off the bat, and it's the first time in a long time that Beltran has gotten a big hit late in the game. Beltran has one of the most beautiful swings in the game that it's hard to believe how much he has struggled this year. Last night I think he showed signs of coming out of this funk he is in.

Of course Marlon Anderson continued his one man crusade to make the Dodgers pay for releasing him with a perfectly executed bunt in the 8th that forced Roberto Hernandez to rush a the throw to first and overthrow the bag.

But maybe the most impressive part of last night was Oliver Perez. The guy is guarranteed to give up one run on a home run almost every start. The amazing thing is how he has matured and settles down after giving up a run to keep his team in a position to win. Love the kid's fire and I find myself chuckling everytime he hops over the baseline after an inning.

And today the good times should keep on rolling. The Mets face the pitcher with the highest career ERA against the Mets, Brad Penny. Let's sweep 'em fellas.

My Sincerest Apologies, Marlon Anderson

Dear Marlon Anderson,

I believe I may have offended you yesterday in one of my posts that was titled, Why is Marlon Anderson on the Mets? I noted how you were unemployed for the past month and not playing that well to begin with. I also highlighted the fact that the Mets are now carrying 37 second basemen on their roster so I wasn't sure why we needed another one.

Then I turned on the game last night and almost passed out when I saw you were not only starting in left field (man, does Willie have something against Milledge?), but you were batting second in the order (what?).

But I am here to say that I was wrong (for today). You went 2 for 5 with 2 RBI's and a run scored. You got on base when it counted and showed some aggressiveness at the plate. I was absolutely wrong to compare you to David Newhan and for that I apologize.

I hope your anger with me continues to improve your presence at the plate, and if you're hitting prowess starts to falter in the coming weeks I'll be sure to write a scathing post questioning your manhood just to perk you up for a great performance.

Sincerely,
Dave, Mets Lifer

Why is Marlon Anderson on the Mets?

Marlon Anderson was a great asset to the team two years ago. He filled in nicely for the often absent Kaz Matsui, and was a great pinch hitter. But why is he on this year's team?

Do we really need another second baseman? We have Gotay who's batting an insane .337 and desperately needs more at bats. Then we have Jose Valentin who is struggling a bit because of injuries. Damion Easley who has lost his playing time because of Gotay's performance. So why do we need another second baseman?

It's not like Marlon Anderson was taring it up in the minors or for the Dodgers. I guess he can play some outfield, but do we really feel he's better than Newhan? This move just boggles me. I hope it works out for the best, but I just don't see it right now.